


no kiss, no gentle word

by ashers_kiss



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: #BuckyNat Week, F/M, Not Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, Not Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Compliant, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-16
Updated: 2018-05-16
Packaged: 2019-05-07 22:45:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14681025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashers_kiss/pseuds/ashers_kiss
Summary: His eyes are empty.Natasha has seen a lot of different things in the Winter Soldier’s eyes over the years, but it’s been a long, long time since she’s seen them quite so…blank.  As if Barnes isn’t really there, and hasn’t been ever since Tony’s message came in.In another universe, Natasha thinks, it might be funny how much she’s beginning to identify with Captain America.





	no kiss, no gentle word

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Menatiera](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Menatiera/gifts).



> First of the (very late) prompt fills for BuckyNat Week 2018, and originally posted [on Tumblr](http://dark-siren.tumblr.com/post/173461512559/buckynat-prompt-nat-helps-bucky-through-his-first). [Menatiera](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Menatiera/pseuds/Menatiera) prompted: _"nat helps bucky through his first press conference as an Avenger"_ , and this is what I came up with. :)
> 
>  ~~Infinity War? What Infinity War?~~ Also not Civil War compliant, because if I’m tossing out chunks of canon I might as well go the full hog. :D
> 
> Title from [Blinding](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Da6bBKLPEGg) by Florence + the Machine, because yes, I am that person.

His eyes are empty.

Natasha has seen a lot of different things in the Winter Soldier’s eyes over the years, but it’s been a long, long time since she’s seen them quite so…blank. As if Barnes isn’t really there, and hasn’t been ever since Tony’s message came in. He’s got Steve sitting next to him on one side, careful space between them and low murmurs filling the gap, and Sam standing on the other, looking nothing less than the highly-trained therapist he is, even in full gear and angled between Barnes and the jet door. ( _Birdman,_ Natasha thinks, and it’s disgustingly fond even in her own head.) And still Barnes sits there, ramrod straight like he was back in that chair, like he doesn’t hear a word of it.

In another universe, Natasha thinks, it might be funny how much she’s beginning to identify with Captain America.

Clint drops down next to her, stretching out his neck until it cracks. She cuts him a glance, and he grins unrepentant before nudging her, grimy shoulder against hers. “How well d’you think that’s gonna go?”

There are a million things Natasha could say to that, and every one of them is probably smarter than, “I’ll let you know.” She’s on her feet before Clint can reply, before she can think herself out of it, crossing the jet like it’s exactly what she’d always planned on doing.

For the first time in a long time, the jet is unsteady under her feet.

Steve doesn’t look at her, not really, still repeating reassuring advice just above his breath, and she can _feel_ Sam gearing up for a “not the best time” speech. Natasha lifts her chin.

“Yekaterinburg.”

Barnes blinks.

“Nat, what – ” Steve starts.

“Yekaterinburg,” she says again. The name sits steadier on her tongue now, and with it, she can taste the echo of champagne bubbles and cheap lipstick. “You saw how that went down.”

It takes a moment, but there comes a wash of memory in Barnes’ eyes, a flicker across his mouth. “That was a disaster.” Even now, she still isn’t used to the sound of his voice again, the way it scrapes rough and rusted in places. But Steve looks hopeful, suddenly, painfully, brightly hopeful, and there’s a smile curling Sam’s mouth, radiating from Clint. So Natasha tilts her head, lets her own smile slide sharp the way the Red Room taught her, the way she perfected beyond their wildest dreams, and says, “Exactly.”

She’s half-rocking back on a heel, ready to turn, ready to go back to Clint and his stupid jokes and obvious distractions, when Barnes reaches out and catches her hand. Beside her, Sam goes still. “Buck,” Steve says, misreading the sudden ice in her spine.

Because she feels frozen, she _is_ frozen, sudden whiplash as Barnes lifts her hand and presses that once-familiar mouth to her knuckles, the backs of her fingers. “Thank you,” he says, meeting her eyes, and something inside her breaks open.


End file.
